Salt dispenser



Oct. 20, 1953 v v 2,656,074

SALT DISPENSER Filed Feb. 10, 1951 INVENTOR.

' I Viz/0Z0 BY E 71% 422mg latented Oct. 20, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SALT DISPENSER Michael D. Vivolo, New York, NY.

Application February 10, 1951, Serial No. 210,352

This invention relates to dispensers for salt or other powdered materials, and particularly such materials as are required to be dispensed in a small quantity or in the form of a spray at a time, and has particular reference to a useful and attractive device of this character which can be used as a dining table accessory, if desired, and will enable its powdered contents to be easily and conveniently dispensed.

The invention has reference to a device of the character shown and described in my co-pending application Serial No. 175,640 filed July 24, 1950, now Patent No. 2,609,971, wherein is shown a dispenser having an air-filled compressible bulb connected to a passage into which salt or other powdered material from inside of a container falls, and by compression of the bulb such salt in the passage is ejected in a spray. The present invention contemplates improvements in such type of dispenser in which the air under pressure produced by the compression of the bulb, will be directed against the salt contents in the main chamber and will thus force some of said contents into an outlet passage and out of the container in a spray.

More particularly, the invention contemplates the provision of a container of ornamental shape, and which may, if desired be made of any of the available plastic materials, and which is provided at its top with a compressible air bulb connected to the container and having its outlet directed into the chamber which contains the salt or other powdered material. The container is provided with a central outlet in its bottom extending transversely of the container and emerging at one side of the container. The result of the above construction is that when the compressible air bulb is compressed, the air displaced by such compression will force some of the salt contents out of the chamber and through the outlet passage in a spray, and in a desired quantity, according to the extent of pressure imposed on the bulb.

The invention contemplates the attainment of other objects to be hereinafter set forth and more particularly pointed out in the claims appended hereto.

In the accompanying drawing, wherein an illustrative embodiment of the invention is disclosed, Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of a dispenser constructed in accordance with the invention;

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view through the dispenser; and

Fig. 3 is a sectional view, taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2, looking in the direction of the arrows.

' 2 Claims. (01. z'zzens) The body of the dispenser is in the form of a container I which may be made of plastic material, glass, wood, metal or any other desired material. The container is preierably, but not necessarily, made in cylindrical shape and may be provided with a flat bottom or with ornamental supporting feet as shown at 14. The container I is provided with the internal salt-containing chamber it within which is held a supply of the salt 9 or other powdered material to be dispensed. The container is provided with an open top 2 surrounded by a threaded neck portion 3. An airfilled compressible bulb 5 of rubber or other equivalent soft and resilient material, has an internally threaded flange 4 fitted on the threads 3. The bulb may, if desired, be attached to the top of the container by other means.

The bulb 5 may be made in many shapes and forms, and as shown, it is in the form of the head of a chef or cook, but it will be obvious that it might simulate any well-known persons, animals or articles. The air outlet of the bulb leads directly into the interior of the container i so that when the bulb is compressed or squeezed, the air displaced by such compressing action will, be directed downwardly on the salt 9 and will force some of the salt 9 or other powdered ma terial downwardly toward the outlet 1 which is; centrally located in the sloping bottom 6 of the container.

Leading laterally from the central outlet 'l is a transverse outlet passage 8 which extends through a protuberance I G at the side of the container near the bottom thereof. The outlet end 9 of the passage 8 may be directed slightly downwardly as shown, if desired, to best facilitate the directive ejection of the salt or other powdered material and enable it to be sprayed upon an object or surface intended to receive it.

From the foregoing, the operation of the dispenser will be readily understood. To eject a quantity of the salt from the end 9 of the outlet passage 8, it is merely necessary to squeeze, or press downwardly, on the bulb 5 which will compress the same and the air forced out of the bulb will be forced down upon the salt 9 in the chamber ll of the container 9, thus forcing a quantity of the salt down through the passage 3 and out through the transverse outlet passage 8. A valve or air return of known construction, and indicated at i2, is employed in the bulb to permit the inflow of air to refill the bulb after manual compression.

It will be clear that by repeated compression of the bulb the salt contents will be ejected in spray form out of the opening 9 and can be readily directed on or over an article or surface as required. While I have herein stated that the device is particularly adapted for the dispensing of salt, it will be apparent that it may be readily employed for the dispensing of various other powdered products.

While I have herein described one embodiment of the invention, it is obvious that the same is not to be. restricted thereto, butz-isebroad enough to cover-"all 'structuresmoming within the: scope of the annexed claims.

What I claim is:

1. A dispenser for salt or other powderedima-l.

1'5 protuberance.

terial comprising. a container having supporting" feet on which it can be rested,,saidt eontainerr having an open top at its end remote rfroinsaid feet, an air bulb fitted on sa=id-"ti:r1r-arrdhavingite= outlet in direct communication with the interior:

of the container to direct air under pressure on top 0!; the powderedv contents a. of the. container. the container having an? inclined inner bottom surface terminating, in a:. central." conical outlet, the lower. end offsaid conical outletcommunicatr ing. with a transversepassage extendingbelowtli'e 25 5 outer end to direct a spray of the powdered material downwardly and out of the container when air is forced down on the powdered contents of the container by compression of the air bulb.

2. In a dispenser as provided for in claim 1,

10 wherei-rr at protuberance: is; provided: on the side ofithecontainen, whichu rotuberamcezextends outwardly beyond the periphery of the container, and the downwardly extending portion of the passage extends through and emerges out of said MICHAEL D. VIVOLO.

werencee eitedi in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

